LPGA opens with consecutive events in Florida a month apart

January 13, 2021 GMT

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — The Gainbridge LPGA tournament is moving to Lake Nona, giving the LPGA Tour consecutive events in Florida one month apart to start its 2021 season.

The Gainbridge LPGA, to be played Feb. 25-28, is in its second year. It was played last year at Boca Rio Golf Club in Boca Raton.

Lake Nona has been the Florida home of several top players over the years, such as Annika Sorenstam, Graeme McDowell and Ian Poulter. It most recently hosted the Tavistock Cup, a club competition between Lake Nona and Isleworth, and it was where Davis Love III and Fred Couples won the World Cup of Golf in 1993.

It also has some LPGA history, holding the inaugural Solheim Cup in 1990.

The tournament will feature a 120-player field and a $2 million purse.

Ten years ago, the LPGA Tour had only one tournament in Florida, the season-ending Titleholders at Grand Cypress in Orlando. Now it has five tournaments, starting with the Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions that opens the season next week in Orlando.

That will be followed by the Gainbridge LPGA, the Drive On Championship at Golden Ocala on March 4-7, and then consecutive weeks to end the season at the Pelican Women’s Championship outside Tampa on Nov. 11-14 and the CME Group Tour Championship in Naples.